Peter Newkirk
Corporal Peter Newkirk is one of the main secondary fictional characters who appeared in the 1960s American sitcom, Hogan's Heroes. He was played by Richard Dawson. History Peter Newkirk is born sometime in the first decade in England of an English father and an Anglo-Welsh mother who is a dancer. He has at least one sister named Mavis. While his education is never explained, it must be assumed that he goes to a secondary school. Either during, or after finishing his education, he travels with a circus, rooming with George and Freddie Bloomington, the 'Amazing Bloomingtons'. While working for the circus, Newkirk learns several skills, among which includes knife throwing and shooting the bow and arrow, while he is shown how to open safes by Alf the Artist. By the time of the British declaration of war against Germany on September 3, 1939, Newkirk is a stage magician performing a headline act at the Palladium Theater in London, and is romancing a fan dancer named Rita Nottingham. World War II Sometime during the 1930s Newkirk is drafted (much more likely than his joining the colors) into the British military. After training, sometime between 1939 and early 1940, he is transferred to France and sent to an airfield as a member of an air unit that is attached to the British Expeditionary Force as part of the support personnel, where he quickly rose up to the rank of corporal. Newkirk, like the rest of his unit, is involved in the French Campaign of 1940, servicing the aircraft that try to support the soldiers of the BEF. At some point during the campaign, he is captured by the Germans, probably when his unit is trying to evacuate its support personnel from its airbase to keep ahead of the advancing Germans, and became a POW. He is then sent on to Germany to be placed in a POW camp for British Air Force personnel. At some point the Germans send him to Stalag 13, and is apparently the first of the future "heroes" to arrive there. Much later, not long after Hogan's arrival, he joins Colonel Hogan's Anti-Nazi organization. His primary function in the group, based on his past experiences, is that of a general conman, pickpocket, forger, and occasionally a German officer impersonator, which would include Hitler. He is also a very good safe cracker, since he would be the person who would normally open up Klink's safe to help retrieve any secrets that would be place inside it by Klink for safekeeping. Newkirk is also shown to be a talented tailor, and was likely trained in the skill by Minsk before the Russian's departure from Stalag 13. Newkirk usually sews all of the various costumes and uniforms that are used by our heroes in the course of their operations. Newkirk is a very intelligent individual who is loyal to his commanding officer, Colonel Hogan, but will say what is on his mind if he believes there is a problem with a plan. He can be something of a realist, in comparison to the more naive Carter. Newkirk, because of his pickpocketing ability, can remove an item, like a map, or add an item, without the other indiviudal realizing that it has been done. Post-World War II Not much is know about happens to Corporal Newkirk at the end of the war, but it is to be assumed that he, along with the other prisoners, is at the camp when it is liberated by the advancing Allies. Category:Allies